DISABLED children who can only move their eyes have been given a voice thanks to a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery.

The Ace Advisory Trust, in Headington, has bought a high-tech machine which lets people control a computer with their eyes.

The cursor follows the movement of the pupils and lets the user pick words and construct sentences, which the computer then reads aloud — letting the children ‘speak’ for the first time.

Mark Saville, from the Windmill Road charity, said it was a “very special” piece of equipment.

He said: “It really is cutting edge technology which has revolutionised the way some children can communicate.

“It was developed from the technology analysts use to chart how people read websites and what their eyes are naturally drawn to.

“We are very grateful to the Lottery for its very substantial donation — it really is a very useful machine.”

The charity helps children of all ages who suffer from severe physical and communication disabilities, and those people who support them.

It introduces youngsters to technology that can literally speak for them, offering them a chance to communicate they may never have had before.

Other organisations around the county also received Lottery money.

Cassington Village Hall, near Witney, received £5,750 towards installing new theatrical stage lighting.

The Lottery grant makes up about 50 per cent of the total needed, with the village hall putting in 25 per cent and a grant from the Oxfordshire Community Foundation making up the rest.

John Hemingway, chairman of the village hall management committee, said: “The money is brilliant.

“The hall is very heavily used by local drama groups and other organisations, and every year we have the Oxford Touring Theatre Company performing here.

“The grant means we can keep improving our facilities. It has given us a massive boost.”

Dame Elizabeth Holford’s Charity, which runs an education centre in Stanton St John, was given £4,277.

The money was used to replace a broken fire alarm system at the hall, which houses a nursery, pre-school and the Oxfordshire Family History Society.

Charity spokesman Roy Roden said: “We were delighted with the money. We can run the place quite happily as long as we don’t have any surprise expenses. When that happens we need to start looking for money.

“The grant will certainly be a very great help for everybody who uses the centre.”

Alison Rowe, the Big Lottery Fund’s head of the South East region, said: “It’s so rewarding to see how many groups are out there making a difference to their communities, from providing sports and leisure pursuits to injecting a bit of fun into people’s lives. We’re delighted to support 35 projects in the South East with more than £255,000 in this round of awards.”

dhearn@oxfordmail.co.uk